A Facebook post by one netizen is now going viral online because a so-called “pet friendly” restaurant in Tagaytay refused to let them entry with Yoda, their native Pinoy dog.

screengrab from FB/Lara L. Antonio

The long post:

We got turned away from Balay Dako today for what I can only guess is because Yoda is an Aspin.
(Reposting this from IG and posting w the IG stories for those who want visuals haha)
We’ve eaten at Balay Dako before – we know it’s pet-friendly. Yoda has, in fact, been here before as well so we went there assuming everything’s okay. We get to the front of house and she hands me a paper with pet guidelines. It basically says small-medium sized dogs only and big dogs are not alllowed. It also says that dogs must be in a diaper, can’t be smelly, etc. and they will be turned away. I see “diaper” and I instantly think oh no we didn’t bring a diaper. So Mon asks the front of house, and she says it’s okay. There are diapers we can buy inside. She sees Yoda and Ari and nothing is amiss (for now).

Yoda, Ari and I are standing in front of the FOH, waiting to be seated and waiting for Mon to come out with the diapers when someone in black – staff – sees Yoda, goes inside, goes back out and then whispers something to the front of house.

Suddenly, FOH tells me that Yoda isn’t allowed inside. I ask “why”, she says “up to medium sized dogs only”. And I said huh? At this point, we’ve been standing in front of they door for over 10 minutes na, people going in and out greeting Yoda and Ari and she didn’t say anything to me. Tapos biglang she says ah bawal na yung isang dog. So I say, “she’s medium sized. We’ve been here before and no issues naman” and then !!! She said “ano pong breed niya?”

I have a weird gut feeling IMMEDIATELY so instead of Aspin, I say “mixed breed.” I’ve dealt with this before I KNOW THIS and as annoying as it is “mixed breed” is more palatable to elitist establishments like Balay Dako, apparently.

Then I ask, “what’s the size qualifications of medium dog?” Cause technically she is medium sized – so I always want to know the fine print. Baka naman their medium is diff from mine. Instead of answering they ask me what’s her weight. My mistake is that I said “18kg” instead of reiterating my question. After I answer I ask again, “ano yung size qualifications ng medium dog?” And then after they talk amongst themselves, someone comes out and says 10-15kg lang po. At this point I know 15kg is arbitrary and they just chose a number smaller than Yoda kasi you can tell when people are lying to you and they were 100% pulling that out of nowhere.

Mon comes out with the diapers and I ask her to get a refund for the diapers they told us to buy !! cause they won’t let Yoda in anyway.

We take the dogs back to the car but this whole situation doesn’t sit well with me. I check the website and I can’t find anything about 15kg so I knoooow it’s bull.

I go back down to the FOH and I ask them to show me where online it says medium dogs only up to 15kg. Or ANY of the fine print that specifies only up to 15kg only. Cause it’s nowhere on their site, nowhere on their social media.

And they say “online”. But I ask them okay show me. Cause if they show me okay g, we’ll find somewhere else to eat, diba. But they can’t and just say “management said so” so I say “okay can I speak with your manager?”

The manager comes, takes me to the side, and I ask her – can you show me exactly where it says online or on social media na up to 15kg only. She says sa FB lang po. So I say okay show me.
And guess what??? SHE CAN’T.

She scrolls ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2023 and all she can show me are photos of dogs that are allowed and GUESS WHAT A GOLDEN RETRIEVER BIGGER THAN YODA IS IN THE PHOTO.

She makes the freaking mistake of telling me na the only dogs allowed are “shit tzus, labradors…” and she’s trying to show me this picture as proof right. – na these are the dogs they allow. (Photo attached for tax) Pero tumagginting na yung tenga ko sa labrador. Kasi mas malaki sila kay Yoda. Labradors are EASILY 25kgs and above.

And I said, “labrador? Eh mas malaki sila sa aso ko eh. So ano yung problema? Kasi aspin siya?” And of course she says no, she tries to explain na someone brought their dogs and “may nakagat na” and okay that’s not what i’m asking. That’s not my dog’s fault? It’s that owner’s fault. So don’t say you’re pet friendly and let LABRADORS in but not my aspin. I’m asking WHERE it is in the website that says up to 15kg only. And there’s none – she can’t show me because it doesn’t exist.

So I said “so wala sa website niyo? And wala sa social media?” And then she tells me wala po, kami po nagsasabi. THEY decide, sila daw yung nagsasabi. On the day of?? Hello? I ask, “Paano yung mga galing Manila? Paano yung mga bumiyahe para kumain lang dito assuming na pet friendly. Hindi naman kami nakatira dito, kaya dapat nasa FAQ or fine print yun. Don’t say you’re pet friendly when you’re not.” I know 15kg is bull, i’m just trying to catch them with a lie and trying to get them to show me PROOF that this is on their website or social media. And it’s not.
So what’s clear to me is that THEY DECIDE. They’ll decide based on what your dog looks like. And then they’ll let you know just like that. Kasi kung 15kg talaga bakit pwede LABRADOR. Bakit may golden retriever dun sa photo na pinapakita niya of “dogs that are allowed”

Okay lang maman kung online – there has to be CLEAR guidelines. But don’t look at my dog, ask what her breed is and then tell me there’s a 15kg rule AND THEN SAY “the only dogs we allow are shit tzus and LABRADORS ?????” LABRADORS are literally 20kgs and above. (I’m sure they said more breeds pero wala na akong nadinig lol)

TLDR: Balay Dako is NOT pet friendly to big dogs or Aspins. Don’t bother going.